Independent Focus: CHIKARA vs. Dragon Gate USA Headlines Huge Weekend

Next weekend marks the one year anniversary of Dragon Gate USA, and the promotion is celebrating by putting on perhaps its biggest show to date.

The main event is a huge, eight-man elimination style tag team match featuring Mike Quackenbush's CHIKARA Sekigun team against Yamato's Kamikaze USA group in what promises to be an exciting, fast-paced match.

The feud between Quackenbush and Yamato has been building steadily over the past year. Yamato's cheap shot on Quackenbush at DGUSA's debut show, "Open the Historic Gate," set the stage for this rivalry, and the two have been at odds ever since.

Yamato is one of the most promising stars of DGUSA, and he has recruited an impressive team. He will be joined by Gran Akuma, pictured above delivering a beautiful German suplex, who turned his back on Quackenbush and CHIKARA to join forces with Yamato. 

The Kamikaze USA team is rounded out by rising independent star Jon Moxley and Dragon Gate's young gun, Akira Tozawa.

CHIKARA stars Hallowicked and Jigsaw will be joining Quackenbush's team, along with the rather surprising addition of the new Dragon Gate Open the Dream Gate champion, Masato Yoshino.

Last weekend, Yoshino won the Japanese promotion's top prize by defeating Yamato in a highly competitive match that can be seen on YouTube. There is no doubt the former champion will be out for revenge when these two teams collide in Philadelphia on July 24th.

The anniversary show is loaded with intriguing matches.

In another main event, the freshly bald Open the Freedom Gate Champion, BxB Hulk, will defend his title against one of the deadliest strikers in all of wrestling, Masaaki Mochizuki.

Hulk's head was shaved last weekend after a non-title loss to Shingo in Japan. With the champion's momentum clearly hurt, will he be able to escape Philadelphia with his title, or will Mochizuki become the second Open the Freedom Gate Champion?

Speaking of Shingo, his hands will certainly be full at the anniversary show. He is set to take on the returning "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson in what will undoubtedly be a great wrestling match.

Unfortunately, most fans will have to wait until the DVD release to see this one. Danielson's 90-day no-compete clause is still in effect, meaning the PPV showing will not include the match.

Shingo's battle against Davey Richards at "Open the Untouchable Gate" may have been the best match of 2009, and chances are, this encounter with Danielson could wind up on top of many best of 2010 lists.

Dragon Gate USA isn't the only promotion with a huge show at the Arena in Philly that weekend. CHIKARA will be bringing in several of the DGUSA stars for their "Chikarasaurus Rex: King of Show" event the very next night.

CHIKARA's show is going to be headlined by a huge tag team war featuring the tag-team champions, Claudio Castagnoli and Ares, taking on Tommy Dreamer and Eddie Kingston in a non-title showdown. Two of the best brawlers in the game will have their shot at the reigning "Campeones de Parejas."

A pair of big-time trio matches will pit the finest from CHIKARA against the some of the best talent DGUSA has to offer.

CIMA, Dragon Kid, and Masaaki Mochizuki, three members of the WARRIORS faction of Dragon Gate, are set to go up against CHIKARA's hated team F.I.S.T. featuring Gran Akuma, Icarus, and Chuck Taylor.

Mike Quackenbush brings two of his top students, Jigsaw and Hallowicked, to battle with him once again. One night after their big eight-man match at the DGUSA anniversary show, this team will step into the CHIKARA ring to take on the World-One faction's Naruki Doi, BxB Hulk, and Masato Yoshino.

Doi and Yoshino, known as Speed Muscle, may be one of the best duos in the world today, and with BxB Hulk by their side, the CHIKARA team faces a very difficult test.

Both trios' matches should be full of high-flying excitement and will showcase the top talents in two of the United States top internationally flavored independent promotions.

Next weekend could very well be the hottest weekend of independent wrestling of the summer. Between these two shows and the EVOLVE promotion's fourth event, fans of Indy wrestling have plenty to look forward to.  

Photo courtesy of Scott Finkelstein